Volume 36 Issue 6 December 2007 & January 2008

The Roadrunner

General Meeting & Holiday Celebration

Inside the Monday, December 10, 2007 at 7:00pm
Roadrunner at UTEP Centennial Museum, Wiggins & University
Chapter Info 2
Join the fun & win a prize for your photo! To enter the contest,
Sanctuary News 3 email electronic JPEG files from a digital camera to Bob John-
son at wildbirderbob@sbcglobal.net or call Bob at 751-0125 for
Bird-watching 4&5 pick up of transparencies or printed photos. Limit of 5 photos
per person. There will be a winner in each category:
Keystone Bird List 6 Birds, Other Wildlife, Scenic photos, Kids & Pets, Humorous

Albertson’s Community Partner Cards are Here

Imagine how different the quality of life would be in

El Paso if all the adults had made a basic connection
to the environment when they were kids.

Announcing the Return of the

ALBERTSONS’
Community Partners Program
By, Kathy Kiseda, Program Coordinator

In the two years since our chapter has joined the Albertsons
Community Partners Program, our 130 participants spent well
over $300,000 in our local Albertsons. This earned us reward
contributions of $4,354, which have or will be spent on our children’s education programs. We have purchased 30
pairs of binoculars and age appropriate field guides that will help us encourage groups to visit Feather Lake and at-
tend field trips. We have also invested in the Audubon Adventures program that will provide age appropriate, con-
servation based, teaching materials to area schools arming teachers with the tools they need to inspire their kids.

Now Albertsons has revised the program, making it even easier for supporters to participate. Attached you will
find two supporter cards, please attach one to the car keys of each shopper in your household. We will earn 1% of
your shopping each time you scan this card. Imagine the impact we can make together!

Giving the cashier your phone number will no longer work as that was part of the old program, now you will need to
have this new card scanned each time you shop. If you would like additional cards, to share with friends and family,
call please call Jane at 598-2448. We will benefit from scanned purchases made at any Albertsons, in all 19 States
in which they operate. (Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Florida, Idaho, Lou-
isiana, Montana, Nevada, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming)
Thank you in advance for your continued support in this campaign. We sincerely appreciate it.

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 Volume 36 Issue 6 Page 2

The Audubon Foundation of El Paso/Trans-Pecos Audubon Society

Texas represents Texas
Audubon chapters in the Earth
Share of Texas payroll-deduction
plan for charitable giving.
Earth Share OF TEXAS
Membership: Roxanne Schroeder, 533-0061
Programs: Ursula Sherrill, 526-7725
Conservation: vacant
Field Trips: vacant
Hospitality: Janet Perkins
Officers
President: Scott Cutler, 581-6071
Vice President: Jane Fowler, 598-2448
Secretary: Lucretia Chew, 587-9589
Treasurer: Eddie Chew, 587-9589
Committees
Publicity: Kathy Kiseda, 533-4615
Education: Kathleen Whelen, 751-2408
Publications: Jane Fowler, 598-2448
Ways & Means: vacant
Sanctuary: John Sproul, 545-5157

Monday, January, 2008 at 7:00pm

at UTEP Centennial Museum, corner of Wiggins & University
Scarlet Macaws: Sunbirds of the Southwest

Our speaker will be Dr. Marc Thompson, director of the El Paso Museum of Archaeology, and Ad-
junct Assistant Professor of Anthropology in the UTEP Sociology and Anthropology Departments.
Dr. Thompson states that, although numerous examples of macaw interments, feathers, and iconog-
raphy have been recorded archaeologically throughout the prehistoric Southwest, the meanings, uses,
and functions of these exotic parrots and their depictions remain enigmatic. Comparisons with com-
patible Mesoamerican linguistic, ethno-historic and archaeological data offer significant insights to
explain why these birds and their feathers have been in demand for two millennia.
The public is welcome. Refreshments will be served.

Frontera Land Alliance The 2008 Ute Mountain Mesa

Verde Birding Festival is going
We hope you'll join us at Ardovino's Desert to be spectacular. We are adding
a Condor Tour to the Vermillion
Crossing on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008, for
cliffs. May 8-11, 2008.
the Annual Meeting of The Frontera Land Alli- A brochure with details will be
ance. This is an opportunity for Frontera's Board ready to mail in January. Our
of Directors to report to the community what the land trust has webpage will be ready by then as
been working on over the past year. It's also a chance to enjoy well.
Ardovino's relaxed atmosphere and delicious food alongside
friends and neighbors who share a commitment to El Paso's natu- www.utemountainmesaverdeb
ral environment and quality of life. irdingfestival.com

A casual reception with an hors d’oeuvres buffet and cash bar Deb Avery, Executive Director
will start at 6 p.m., then we'll sit down for the presentation at 7. Cortez Cultural Center
This is a free event -- please come out and learn more about our 25 N. Market
local land trust! A map and directions to Ardovino's are available Cortez CO 81321
970-565-1151
at www.ardovinos.com/map.html. Learn more about Frontera &
its projects www.fronteralandalliance.org.

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 Volume 36 Issue 6 Page 3

AT FEATHER LAKE
Without recent rains, water levels at Feather
Lake have dropped steadily since October 1.
At this writing in mid-November, conditions are
Audubon
great for shorebirds and wading birds, but they at
may not last long. The lake could be dry again RIO BOSQUE
in December. WETLANDS
PARK
Even without water, we plan to keep Feather
Lake open at least through mid-December so
visitors can enjoy the cottonwoods in fall color.
We still have a few December dates for which The wetland cells at Rio Bosque Wetlands
we need volunteers to staff our sanctuary. In- Park are flooded, and waterbird numbers are
terested? Please contact John Sproul (747- building. For recent bird sightings at the Park,
8663, jsproul@utep.edu). visit www.riobosque.org. Upcoming free
walking tours:
You can also help at Feather Lake by taking
part in our next workday. It’s Sat., January 26, 9 a.m. Sat., December 1 (Bird tour)
starting at 2 p.m. If the lake is dry, we’ll work 3 p.m. Sun., December 9 (Introductory tour)
in the basin. If it has water, we’ll be in the up-
lands. 3 p.m. Sat., January 12 (Bird tour)
3 p.m. Sun., January 20 (Introductory tour)
Feather Lake is located at 9500 North Loop at
Bordeaux in El Paso, 0.3 miles west of Ameri- The meeting place is a bridge crossing the
cas Ave. Hours are 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday Riverside Canal. To get there from I-10, take
mornings and 2 p.m. to dusk on Sunday after- Americas Ave. (Loop 375) to Pan American
noons. Admission is free Drive, turn left onto Pan American and travel
1.5 miles. Information: 747-8663.

THE ELECTRONIC ROADRUNNER

THE ROADRUNNER is now also available elec-

tronically as a PDF file. If you would like to re-
ceive our newsletter in this way via e-mail, just
send a note to John Sproul at jsproul@utep.edu.

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 Volume 36 Issue 6 Page 4

BIRD WATCHING
Christmas Bird Count
The El Paso Audubon Chapter calls upon volunteers in the El Paso area to join with
birders across the western hemisphere and participate in one of the Audubon’s winter time
traditions, the annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC). This year’s count will be the 108th.

Last year, over 56,000 volunteers from all 50 states, every Canadian province, parts of
Central and South America, Bermuda, the West Indies, and Pacific Islands count and record
every individual bird and bird species seen in a given area. During the 105th CBC, about 69
million individual birds were counted. Last year, over 2050 individual counts.
Each individual count group completes a census of the birds found during one 24 hour pe-
riod in a designated circle 15 miles in diameter– about 177 square miles.

People are asked to contribute $5.00 to help defray the expense of publishing “American
Birds”. This is the volume detailing all 2000 plus counts. The El Paso/Trans-Pecos Chapter
will cover $3.00 of this cost for the Hueco Tanks and El Paso counts.

HUECO TANKS
Hueco Tanks Christmas Bird Count Bird Identification Tour
Admission: Hueco Tanks Historical Park
This year’s count will be taken over by Richard $4. $2 for Seniors 65,
Hermosillo. Contact him at his phone or email listed Children under 12 - FREE.
below. The date has not been selected yet. The des-
Bird Identification Tours
ignated period is from December 14 thru January 8,
2008. Sunday Dec. 16 8:08 AM
Sunday Jan. 20 8:08 AM
The first count will be conducted in and around Sunday Feb. 17 8:08 AM
Hueco Tanks State Historic Site. Let’s see if we can
get over 65 species this year. This number has been Please check in at the Headquarters.
achieved only a couple of times since 1970. To ac- Reservations and Information 857-
complish this, we need at least 8 counters. Please call 1135.
and volunteer. We have accomplish this during the Leader Bob "Wildbirder" Johnson
1st and 3rd Sunday tours of in the late Fall during the 751-0125.
those three hour tours. We saw 31 species in the park
alone.
Time: 6:30 am, Flying Saucer Building
(Junction US 62/180 & FM 2775) KEYSTONE PARK
BIRDWATCHERS WELCOME
Compiler: Richard Hermosillo; (915) 491-0815
The gate at Keystone will be open the last
epbirder@yahoo.com weekend of each month for birders to come
in and bird on their own. No tour guides.
It would be better to call ahead of time so that the Sat. Dec. 29 7:30 - - 10:00 AM
compiler will be in the look-out for you. You must be Sun. Dec. 30 2:30 - - 5:00 PM
prompt as the park gate will only be opened for a few Sat. Jan. 26 7:30 - - 10:00 AM
minutes. If you cannot reach Richard, contact Bob Sun. Jan. 27 2:30 - - 5:00 PM
for information. (915)751-0125 Sat. Feb. 23 7:00 - - 9:30 AM
wildbirderbob@sbcglobal.net Sun. Feb. 24 3:30 - - 6:00 PM

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 Volume 36 Issue 6 Page 5

We will be teaching Bird watching Classes in

the Center for Lifelong Learning at UTEP in
February & March with a field trip each weekend.
Therefore we will have only one trip in Jan. Our
annual trip to the Bosque Del Apache NWR near
Socorro, NM.
BOSQUE DEL APACHE
NWR
One of the more popular National
Wildlife Refuges in the country (there
are over 500) is located about 180 miles north of El
Paso off Interstate 25. How about 20,000 Snow Geese
with a number of Ross's included, see if you can tell
them apart, 12,000 Sandhill Cranes, 25,000 plus ducks
and maybe a dozen Bald Eagles.
Start off your 2007 bird list with some great entries.
Last year, 74 species were recorded on our trip, these
included 15 waterfowl species, 7 raptor and 3 grebe,
also a number of passerines. The Refuge reported just
under a dozen Bald Eagles, and we saw 5 at one
time. We hope to arrange a tour in the refuge bus, so
try and call Lois if you think you might attend. We
need an approximate count. There are many good mo-
tels in Socorro, NM, about 12 miles to the North.
Date: Sat/ Sun, January 19 & 20, 2008
Time: 11am
Place: Parking Lot by the Visitor's Center
Coordinator: Lois Balin,
call for map and itinerary (915)751-2206
LOOKING AHEAD:
Christmas Bird Count - Hueco Tanks,
sometime between Dec 14 and Jan 5.
Annual trip to the Bosque Del Apache
National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro
NM Jan. 19 & 20.
The Annual Awards Dinner
Each year, new board members are
elected and service awards are pre-
sented to special people in the com-
munity and our organization. This
year’s dinner is scheduled for
Saturday, February 16, 2008.
This occasion always provides a great
opportunity to enjoy a dinner out
with wonderful friends. We look for-
ward to being with you!
For further information on all
BIRD WATCHING trips contact
Bob Johnson.
751-0125
wildbirderbob@sbcglobal.net

The Keystone Heritage Park Checklist has Reached a Milestone!

finally
John Kiseda

My goal of reaching a bird site checklist count of at least 200 species for Key-
stone, finally came to pass last month with the recent observation of the site’s
202nd species. I want to thank those people who have contributed their sightings to the list
over the years, it’s been greatly appreciated. Next year, I plan on producing a better version of
the checklist, so that it will provide a bit more worthwhile information for users.
Have a great Holiday Season, especially since I’ve already received my early
Christmas present!
Ho-Ho-Ho John K.

5
 THE BIRDS OF KEYSTONE PARK 202 species/types

Pied-billed Grebe * Green Heron Chimney Swift $ Wilson’s Warbler

Eared Grebe U Tri-colored Heron U
Horned Grebe U American Bittern $
American White Pelican U Black-crowned Night Heron U
Double-crested Cormorant U White-faced Ibis
Neotropic Cormorant Sora X
Ruddy Duck * Virginia Rail *
Mallard * American Coot *
Redhead * Common Moorhen *
Green-winged Teal American Avocet *
Blue-winged Teal Black-necked Stilt *
Cinnamon Teal X Long-billed Curlew U
Black-bellied WhistlingDuck $ Solitary Sandpiper
Northern Shoveler Spotted Sandpiper
Gadwall Stilt Sandpiper U
Wood Duck * Pectoral Sandpiper U
Lesser Scaup Western Sandpiper
Ring-necked Duck Baird’s Sandpiper $
Bufflehead Least Sandpiper
American Wigeon Lesser Yellowlegs
Common Goldeneye S Greater Yellowlegs
Canvasback U Dunlin $
Northern Pintail Killdeer *
Hooded Merganser U Semi-palmated Plover U
Red-breasted Merganser U Snowy Plover $
Common Merganser $ Short-billed Dowitcher U
Surf Scoter $ Long-billed Dowitcher
Canada Goose U Wilson’s Phalarope
Snow Goose U Wilson’s Snipe
Turkey Vulture Mew Gull $
Mississippi Kite Lesser Black-backed Gull $
Sharp-shinned Hawk California Gull U
Coopers Hawk U Western Gull $
Northern Harrier Herring Gull U
Red-tailed Hawk Iceland Gull $
Swainson’ s Hawk Glaucous Gull $
Harris’s Hawk $ Thayer’s Gull U
American Kestrel Franklin’s Gull U
Merlin $ Bonaparte’s Gull U
Prairie Falcon U Ring-billed Gull
Peregrine Falcon Black Tern U
Golden Eagle U Common Tern U
Bald Eagle $ Forster’s Tern U
Osprey U Mourning Dove *
Gambel’s Quail * White-winged Dove *
Scaled Quail U Inca Dove U
Snowy Egret Rock Dove
Cattle Egret Eurasian Collared-Dove $
Great Egret Yellow-billed Cuckoo $
Great Blue Heron Roadrunner X
Little Blue Burrowing Owl U
Heron $ Lesser Nighthawk U
6
Black-chinned Hummingbird X
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird U
Belted Kingfisher
Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Sapsucker species $
Western Wood Pewee $
Western Kingbird X
Say’s Phoebe
Black Phoebe
Ash-throated Flycatcher U
Olive-sided Flycatcher $
Vermillion Flycatcher $
Barn Swallow
Cave Swallow U
Cliff Swallow
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow U
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Black-billed Magpie $
Western Scrub Jay U
Chihuahuan Raven U
American Crow
Verdin *
Red-breasted Nuthatch $
Cactus Wren *
Marsh Wren
Bewick’s Wren U
House Wren
Rock Wren
Northern Mockingbird *
Sage Thrasher $
Crissal Thrasher *
Curve-billed Thrasher *
American Robin
Bluebird species $
Hermit Thrush U
Townsend’s Solitaire $
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher U
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher *
Cedar Waxwing U
Phainopepla X
Loggerhead Shrike
European Starling
American Pipit U
Warbling Vireo $
Northern Waterthrush $
Yellow Warbler
Printed by Superior Copy
Virginia’s Warbler U
Black-throated Grey Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat X
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat $
Western Tanager U
Summer Tanager $
Green-tailed Towhee
Canyon Towhee $
Spotted Towhee U
House Sparrow
Western Meadowlark
Brewer’s Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird *
Great-tailed Grackle *
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole $
Hooded Oriole $
Bullock’s Oriole
Pyrrhuloxia *
Black-headed Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak X
Painted Bunting $
Lazuli Bunting $
Lesser Goldfinch $
Pine Siskin $
House Finch
Dickcissel $
Dark-eyed Junco
Lark Bunting
Lark Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow $
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow U
Swamp Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow U
Lincoln’s Sparrow U
Vesper Sparrow U
* = breeding
X = probable breeding
U=unusual
$ =rare
 Calendar

December January February

Sat 1: Feather Lake 12 & 20: Rio Bosque Mon 11: Board Meeting
Work Day
Mon 14: Board Meeting Sat 16: Awards Dinner
Sat 1: Desert Birds
19 & 20: Bosque del Apache 17: Hueco Tanks
Mon 3: Board Meeting
Sun 20: Hueco Tanks 23 & 24: Keystone
Mon 10: X-mas Party
Mon 21: General Meeting
Sun 16: Hueco Tanks
Sat 26: Feather Lake
29 & 30: Keystone
26 & 27: Keystone

Conservation Organizations
Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife Rescue
www.whc.net/cdwr

El Paso Zoo 521-1850

www.elpasozoo.org

Keystone Heritage Park 581-7920

www.keystoneheritagepark.org

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park

(505) 524-3334 www.cdnp.org

Friends of the Rio Bosque 747-8663

www.riobosque.org

Southwest Environmental Center

(505) 522-5552
www.wildmesquite.org
swec@zianet.com

Franklin Mt. Wilderness Coalition

www.franklinmountains.org